SAN FRANCISCO, January 17, (THEWILL) – The Civil Societies Network Against Corruption, CSNAC, has petitioned the National Judicial Council, NJC, over the directive by the Chief Judge of Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Ishaq Bello, barring magistrate courts from issuing remand orders for the detention of suspects.
In a petition signed by Olanrewaju Suraju, Chairman, CSNAC, the group declared that the directive from Justice Bello was in violation of section 293 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015; leading to a violation of his office according to Rule 1 Paragraph 1 of the Code Of Conduct for Judicial Officers in Nigeria.
“In many of your Lordship’s utterances you have warned judges to stop engaging in corrupt practices either directly or through agents. Some of the judges who are neck deep in corruption have ignored the several admonitions of your Lordship. One of such judges is Mr. Justice Ishaq Bello, the Chief Judge of the federal capital territory,” they wrote.
“Based on section 293 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act of 2015 the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been obtaining remand orders since from magistrate courts to detain criminal suspects pending their arraignment in the courts.
“Since many of the suspects arrested in connection with the criminal diversion of billions of naira the EFCC has applied to magistrates in the federal capital territory. In exercise of their powers under the law the magistrates have granted the remand orders. As the EFCC has charged such suspects to court upon the conclusion of investigation no court has declared illegal the order granted by any of the magistrate courts.”
The group added that Bello has been feeling uncomfortable “as a result of the detention of some corrupt people who have publicly admitted that they collected billions of naira for political campaigns from the over $2 billion appropriated by the national assembly for buying arms to fight the dangerous boko haram sect.”
“In utter violation of section 293 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 Justice Ishaq Bello directed all magistrates in the federal capital territory to stop granting remand orders applied for by the EFCC.
“At the time of giving the directive Justice Ishaq Bello was very much aware of the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 because he referred to the law in his speech.
“But the Chief Judge decided to issue the illegal directive so as prevent the EFCC from detaining the suspects who have stolen public fund to the tune of billions of naira.”
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